1 mom = 4 women

My sister, Terri, is an amazing power-full woman. She is sassy, bright, fragile and big-hearted.

She has grown four-baby girls into beautiful tenacious women. It wasn't easy - she sacrificed, laughed and cried a lot through the years. AND - the world is more luminous and promising now that Cori, Kristi, Candace and Kim are here among us.

She is hugging her little darlings forever in her heart and spirit knowing that she wasn't just a mommy, she was a creator of life & chief surveyor of shining potentiality. And, for me, Auntie Glenda, I am overflowing with pride and love. [happy birthday Terri!]

saving the ta-tas with art

What a night of wonder*full wishcrafting. Beautiful handcrafted bricks lined table after table at the 7th annual Breast Cancer Brick Auction on Oct 26th. I had hosted a bricktacular party in July so friends and I had several donated bricks to art up for the cause.

http://www.breastcancerbricks.org/

We grooved to music, noshed on delicious snacks and happily arted up around 12 bricks.

we're saving the ta-tas with art.

get naked - play with paint

I'm catching up on my bloggin here - so forgive the late details -BUT have you ever felt like stripping off all your clothes, getting out the acrylics and just body painting w/ a 2 year old? My inner wild child loved the antics and my Ryan had a blast - even got a few 5X7's out of the frolicking!

Moral of the story- out of chaos comes creativity.

Truth Tellers found on the 4th

On Independence Day, to honor FREEdom & Un-Freedom yet to claimed, I visited the National Underground Museum [Freedom Center] in Cincinnati. I always felt a deep pride for living in my current town of Springboro, founded by abolitionist Quakers who housed people on their way North on the underground railroad. This 4th of July felt like a great day to expand my understanding of freedom and invoke the goodness of the Quaker ancestors buried down the road from where I lay my head every evening.

While visiting, I spent a considerable amount of time breathing in the beauty of the visiting work of Artist Robert Shetterly - Americans Who Tell the Truth exhibit. Whoa...beautiful paintings with hand-scratched quotes of humanity expressing their authentic experience, no matter what the cost of offense & loyalty to societal values- these audacious Americans they live their gospel truth.

Portrait above is:

Terry Tempest Williams N

Naturalist, Writer, Environmental Activist1955 –
"The eyes of the future are looking back at us and they are

praying for us to see beyond our own time."

What a validation of Independence Day - forgedda about the cookout & a cold one - these courageous dreamers and citizens were the real celebration for me! Check it out yourself:

http://www.americanswhotellthetruth.org/

defining religion

I ran into a really striking bulletin board for a church recently -
had to take a snapshot. In case you don't have your bi-focals on, it says:


Religion is GOODNESS with its sleeves rolled up.



It made me think of another quote on religion I like:

"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." The Dalai Lama

re·li·gion
1. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
2. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
3. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
4. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
5. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.

Having zeal or devotion to kindness...or goodness...nuff said.

wild & wonder*full West Virginia

I went chasing the sun and kissin' the wind this past wkend on a BMLM [Bare Minimum Last Minute] **trip to W. Virginia. Some wishfull observations:

1. Ohio doesn't have any Biscuit World restaraunts...pity...miss the sweet tea and honey biscuits already.

2. Cicadas provide natural musical serenading as you drive -roll down the windows -turn OFF your stereo and give it a listen...before they're gone.

3. Lop-sided-abandoned-weather-beaten-old-barns are now my new curiosity...maybe...obsession.

4. Queen size sheets spray painted with messages make fantastic community message boards!

5. Listening to live banjo pickin' bluegrass music & eating fresh home cooked organic food is really "almost heaven"...

I wishweaved all the way from Charleston to the New River Gorge Bridge -- evidence by the pics!

**BMLM -Bare Minimum, Last Minute -pronounced - Bim-Lim, -definition- the best way to have a party, live life, take out the fussiness and hassle of ' IT ' -concept invented by SARK
http://www.planetsark.com/